Four Corners: June 10

In Monday’s Four Corners, “Time Bomb,” Louise Milligan, reports on the making of the Bourke St murderer.

“We were driving around and he asked me, ‘would you ever kill someone?’” School friend

James Gargasoulas was a 26-year-old heavy drug user with an extensive criminal record when he drove a car at high speed through central Melbourne killing six people, including a baby boy and a 10-year-old girl.

“He simply looked like he was just going for his Sunday drive on the road, but he was on a pavement, mowing down pedestrians, with no facial expression.” Witness

He was sentenced to life in prison earlier this year for the January 2017 attack. Despite a guilty verdict there are still outstanding questions about why James Gargasoulas was able to carry out such a crime.

“I just don’t understand why they couldn’t stop him. I just don’t understand why he couldn’t be pulled off the streets.” Witness

On Monday, Four Corners investigates how James Gargasoulas was out roaming the suburbs of Melbourne despite facing serious criminal charges and clear warning signs that he presented a grave danger to others.

“He said we’d see him on the news that night.” Witness

In his first media interview, Gargasoulas’ brother Angelo recounts his brother’s extreme violence over many years, beginning with their deeply troubled childhood in outback Coober Pedy. Angelo was both a witness and a victim of his brother’s brutality even in the days and hours before the Bourke St attack.

“I was like, ‘you have to find this guy…There’s so much to lock him up away (for)’.” Brother

Much of the evidence against Gargasoulas has not been seen by the public before. In this painstaking investigation, months in the making, Four Corners reveals troubling failures to catch and hold Gargasoulas.

“(The police) will question everything in their mind. They will wake up at night and say, ‘could I have, should I have, how could I have done things differently?’” Retired Police Commissioner

For those still coming to terms with Gargasoulas’ actions, they wonder if the lessons of his case have been learned.

“Systemic failure is an understatement.” Brother

Monday 10th June at 8.30pm on ABC.